The Bible Says What? ‘The firstborn of Egypt must die’
Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild looks at a controversial passage of the Torah ahead of Pesach
The Bible tells of 10 plagues that struck Egypt in the battle between God and Pharaoh, culminating with: “God smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the captive in the dungeon and all the firstborn of cattle….there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not a house where there was not one dead.”
The Egyptians hurried the Israelites away, giving them all they asked for – jewellery, animals, clothing, gold, because “we are all dead”.
One can only imagine the grief, terror and anguish of the Egyptians on that night, our “leil shimurim – night of vigil”, now seder night.
As we celebrate our liberation, we also observe the anniversary of these deaths, and on the seventh day of Pesach we recall the deaths of the Egyptian soldiers, drowned as the waters closed over them as they pursued the escaping Israelites.
The Bible tells the stories unflinchingly, recording the screams of the people facing their dead at midnight, the fear and distress of the soldiers caught on the seabed as the waters roll back. It tells of the real human cost of our freedom.
And Jewish tradition picks up this theme, so our observance of Pesach not only tells the story of the Israelites gaining freedom but also the story of grief and fear experienced by those cast as our enemies.
The book of Proverbs tells us “when your enemy falls, do not rejoice”, and rabbinic tradition reminds us to lessen any joy gained at the expense of others.
So we recite only half-hallel for the last six days of Pesach, we take out drops of wine at our seder while recounting the plagues, and remind ourselves that freedom comes at a cost we must never forget.
- Sylvia Rothschild has been a community rabbi in south London for 30 years
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
